


Cattywampus

by ImperfectAlias



Series: From Here to Tomorrow [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fluff, Ice Skating, M/M, Promnis Week, fake relationship to real relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 11:59:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13457799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImperfectAlias/pseuds/ImperfectAlias
Summary: If someone were to ask Ignis Scientia what his married life is like, he would explain it as “merely a marriage of convenience between friends, and nothing more.”If someone were to ask either of his friends - they’d say he’s full of it....and after an enlightening conversation with Gladio, much to his chagrin, Ignis wonders how he had ever assumed differently.“So, you’re head-over-heels for him,” Gladio remarks simply, with a single sharp nod, as if it’s the most obvious conclusion and not nearly as outrageous as Ignis believes it to be - Ignis just about choking on his coffee at the mere suggestion of such a thing. Gladio doesn’t even have the decency to look up from his book as he turns the page and then holds out his hand. “Pass the creamer.”





	Cattywampus

**Author's Note:**

> For Promnis Week Day 2: Fake Relationship to Real Relationship

“It’s not as if I don’t appreciate his company - I do,” Ignis says with a gloved finger tapping against the handle of his coffee cup. “I merely keep... unexpectedly finding myself _enjoying_ things I really shouldn’t.”

Gladio raises an eyebrow at the other, a noncommittal grunt leaving him, as he stirs his coffee with a plastic straw - but Ignis is undeterred, as this has become a rather routine exchange as of late. The larger man is often at his most patient first thing in the morning, and Ignis is both _ready_ and _willing_ to exploit the absolute hell out of that fact.

The bespeckled man sits, proper as ever, on a metal chair in the little hole-in-the-wall of a cafe that he frequents more often than he probably should - the cafe itself nearly devoid of life in the early hours of mornings such as this. Gladio is sitting across the small, round table with a not-so-subtle combination of amusement and exasperation playing across his features as he glances up from his novel. “That so?”

“Or at the very least - I’m enjoying things I never thought I would, had Prompto not dragged me into them,” Ignis continues, as he stirs a packet of sugar into his coffee. “He’s practically turned my life on its head. Prompto wants to go ice skating - _ice skating_ , Gladio - I haven't done that in _years_.”

“And?” Gladio prompts as his eyes slide back to the book, his lips twitching upward at one side. “What’s the problem?”

Ignis feels his jaw tighten and his lips purse before he gives a short sigh. His shoulders give the smallest of slouches, and he makes a vague, fluttering gesture with his hand. “I feel as if I should be exasperated with the whole thing - the public enjoys watching me make a fool of myself, I'm sure - but I can’t seem to tell him _no_ ,” he nearly hums into his coffee cup as he brings it to his lips.

“So, you’re head-over-heels for him,” Gladio remarks simply, with a single sharp nod, as if it’s the most obvious conclusion and not nearly as outrageous as Ignis believes it to be - Ignis just about choking on his coffee at the mere suggestion of such a thing. Gladio doesn’t even have the decency to look up from his book as he turns the page and then holds out his hand. “Pass the creamer.”

“Head over - don’t be _absurd_. What could have possibly given you that idea?” Ignis asks with a frown, nudging a packet of creamer towards the other. “What part of _marriage of convenience_ don’t you understand? You’re just as bad as Noct.”

“ _Absurd_.” Gladio makes a show of rolling his eyes and slowly goes about adding the creamer to his coffee. “Right - you’ve both been living together for almost two years and been married for some six months-”

“Seven and a half, Gladio - do try and keep track of these things-” Ignis interrupts before he can stop himself, pushing his glasses up higher on his nose.

“ _Over half a year_.” Gladio sends the other man a pointed look before continuing, “you spend all of your free time fawning over him, and you haven’t looked this healthy since we were kids. I always assumed Noct would be the one who’d have to get you a life - but you’re actually picking up hobbies again.” Gladio sends him what Ignis can only assume is his best deadpan, “but you know what? You're right - definitely nothing’s going on.”

“I hardly _fawn_ over him, and my health is the same as it’s always been, thank you very much,” Ignis replies with a frown, head cocking to the side with a pointed look of his own. “Besides, I quite enjoy baking. I can hardly see what that has to do with my being with Prompto.”

“How did Noct put it? You're in de-nye-all.”

“Oh, _please_ -”

“You look happier,” says Gladio with a touch of finality, putting down his book completely to pick up his cup of coffee. He points a finger in Ignis’s direction. “Maybe you haven’t noticed, but you look less like you have a stick up your ass and more like you’re actually having a good time - and not just because you’re playing along ‘cause you feel obligated to.”

Ignis’s lips purse again as his eyes move down to his coffee, cradled easily between his gloved hands. “... _Perhaps_ ,” he finally admits, as if physically pained by the possibility. He stares at his cup for a moment, watching the liquid swirl. “Perhaps there's… _some_ truth to that - things _have_ changed for the better since Prompto and I became more involved in one another's lives - which is strange, considering how nothing has changed in our personal relationship since Prompto and I became wed,” he adds, almost as an afterthought.

“Okay, then - what would _you_ say it is?” Gladio asks after Ignis takes a sip of his drink. “‘Cause it sure as hell _looks_ like _something_ to me. The always being in each other's personal space, something you never liked before - the constant flustered bullshit you both put me and Noctis through when you two realize you're being domestic as hell.”

“Really, Gladio - is this _really_ necessary?”

Gladio takes a drink from his coffee the same way he would let out a sigh - making it last longer than necessary and with a deliberate noise. “Just humor me.”

It takes a decent amount of willpower for Ignis to resist the urge to roll his eyes; he instead looks down at his cup again and fiddles with the handle for a moment, studying the shape, and ultimately buying himself some time.

What exactly _are_ his thoughts on the situation? Really only the Six know, because Ignis isn’t _entirely_ sure of what Gladio is trying to coax out of him.

 _Happier_ , Gladio says - but is he really _happier_? His orderly life has been turned up on its head, and Ignis finds he has very little to show for it - monotony being swapped for spontaneity, and exasperation for contentment… and at the center of the whirling chaos that is starting to become his life - at the very center of it all? A hypothetical question that had ended in a poorly planned marriage with an excitable, fidgety mess of blond hair and freckles.

Where there was once a label for every hour of the day, there is now a hand tugging on his sleeve - pointing out new restaurants and tearing old plans, procedures, and expectations to ribbons… and Ignis can’t quite seem to place when he stopped minding. He supposes it was somewhere between moving in together and adopting a cat - or perhaps the dog that came soon after.

Or perhaps it was even _earlier_ than those things, now that he's taking the time to consider it; perhaps it was the moment that it became easy to sit in the presence of the other - to sit and talk and cook and bicker - and all the silly little things that make it easier to return home earlier than he used to. Perhaps - though it is rather illogical - it was before even that moment…

_Perhaps..._

“... _Oh_.” Ignis pauses at that, his fingers tightening around his cup of coffee before he brings it to his lips with another hum. “Well then.”

Ignis refuses to look up at Gladio, but he can practically _feel_ the smug expression on the larger man’s features. “Well?” Gladio asks, voice deceptively innocent for someone wearing a shiteating grin.

“Well...” Ignis drawls out, after taking his own long sigh of a drink, “I do believe I’m going to be making an utter fool of myself in front of the person I’ve been in love with for two years.” He makes an effort to keep his eyes closed after he blinks. “As I said before - I haven’t gone ice skating in years. This can only go swimmingly, I’m sure.”

Much to Ignis’s chagrin, the laugh Gladio lets out in response probably echoes down the street.

  
  


 

“Are you _sure_ you wanna go ice skating?” Prompto asks, leaning forward a bit as his eyes look up at Ignis. “I mean, I could probably invite Noct and Luna instead, if you wanted to just go home and take a break.”

Ignis pushes up his glasses before adjusting his scarf. “No, no - we agreed to go skating today, and you’ve been looking forward to this.”

“Yeah, but we could go some other time, Igs.”

“I’m fine, Prompto - really - but I appreciate the thought.”

Prompto sends the other a skeptical look, but seemingly shrugs it off with a smile. “Whatever you say then - I’m pretty stoked we’re doing something together! You’ve been pretty busy lately.”

“It’s the holiday season, so work is keeping everyone busy.” Ignis tucks his chin into his scarf, if only to disguise his smile. As they walk down the pavement, with Prompto walking close enough that they bump shoulders, Ignis wonders how he could have been so _blind_. It especially hits him hard as he holds out his elbow and Prompto links their arms. “Cold?”

Prompto snorts before leaning sideways and putting most of his weight against Ignis, grinning wide. “You offered,” he says cheerily, before straightening up again.

“I merely asked if you were cold,” Ignis replies easily, smiling at the warmth against his side.

“Wow - what a _gentleman!"_

Ignis chuckles despite himself, rolling his shoulder as he tilts his head towards Prompto. “How was your day, then? Hopefully it was more eventful than mine.”

“I just hung out with Noct and Luna,” Prompto states with a somewhat sheepish note in his voice, gaze going somewhere off to his right.

“Did something happen?” Ignis asks as he glances over with a raised eyebrow.

Prompto gives a strangled sound of a laugh. “Nah - it’s nothing. Noct and Luna just said something weird while we were out. Don’t worry about it.”

“Define _weird_.”

Prompto’s face takes a shade of pink that leaves Ignis unsure if the cause is the weather, the conversation he’d had with Noctis and Luna, or both. “Just… you know - _stuff,_ ” Prompto half laughs, glancing up at Ignis before looking away again - as if he hadn’t expected to be caught when their eyes met.

“Your face is red - are you cold?” Ignis asks before he can stop himself and immediately moves to slip off his scarf. His smile quirks up at one side. A bit of teasing never hurt anyone.

“What? No! No, I’m cool,” Prompto replies quickly, his free hand going over Ignis’s to stop him. “I’m fine! Really! It was just a… weird conversation - I’ll tell you later,” he assures the taller young man, nudging him with his elbow.

“...If you insist.” Letting out a sound somewhere between a chuckle and a sigh, Ignis relents and pulls his hands away from his scarf - though he can’t stop himself from wondering, if not a little hopefully, if Prompto’s conversation with Noctis and Luna was anything like the conversation he’d had with Gladio.

“Anyway - we’re going _ice skating!_ It’ll be fun! What could possibly go wrong?”

Ignis smiles, an eyebrow raising. “I’ve heard that before.”

 

  


 

It turns out, as all things do when Prompto is involved, that many things can go wrong. One of which being that Ignis finds himself, upon being handed his skates and getting out on the ice, remembering something fairly important: He is in _desperate_ need of practice.

“I’m suddenly recalling, with startling clarity,” Ignis says, voice wavering dangerously as he finds himself clinging to the low wall of the skating rink, “why I haven’t been ice skating in years.”

Prompto, who is really no help whatsoever, is pulling on the laces of his skates and looks like he might hurt himself from trying not to laugh. “I’ll be there in a sec, Iggy,” the young man manages to say around a chuckle, his eyes glued to his task - as if he doesn't trust himself to look up. “I think you're doing _great_!”

“Take your time.” Ignis, though it takes a minute, manages to steady himself into an illusion of balance; the illusion being in how he finally manages to remain standing whilst looking like he’s casually resting a hand on the wall - and _absolutely_ _not_ holding it in a death grip - as well as no longer scrambling around for proper footing. “I’m just… getting used to this again.”

“I can see that,” Prompto says with a smile as he gets to his feet, patting his coat pocket to make sure the shoe locker key is still present. He makes a fluttering gesture with his hand at Ignis. “A lot of remembering is definitely going on here.”

“It has been some time,” Ignis admits, frowning deeply as he attempts to let go of the wall - only to, as inconspicuously as possible and while resisting the rising urge to scramble in an instinctual kind of panic, grab it again as he wobbles dangerously.

Prompto watches him for a second, standing by one of the openings for the rink, and has a smile on his face that _almost_ makes Ignis feel like this is worth it. “Try to keep your balance at the middle of your foot - and don’t lean back,” Prompto explains, his voice warm as he steps out onto the ice and glides forward with a deceptive amount of ease. “The stoppers are at the front of the blades.”

Moving in an attempt to put his weight forward, Ignis has to force himself - _yet again_ \- to not flail around like a fool when his skates inch him away from the wall. Something about the slippery footing makes his fight or flight response run wild with him; it makes his face grow unreasonably warm when he skitters about like a child while Prompto makes this look so _easy_.

When Prompto offers him his hand, Ignis holds it like a lifeline - especially when Prompto pulls him a few more feet away from the security of the rink wall. “I remember this not being quite as difficult when I was younger,” Ignis near grumbles as he wobbles on the ice and keeps his eyes glued to his skates. “My apologies.”

“Dude, don’t be sorry,” Prompto replies, the edge of a laugh in his voice.

“I don’t want you to feel like you have to offer me your… assistance. You can go and skate and I'll… _manage_ , somehow.”

Prompto waits for Ignis to look up from the ice to reply. The blond has that smile on his face that makes Ignis _almost_ forget the embarrassment of his situation. “Nah - this is fine - better than fine, even,” Prompto says, as his free hand rubs at the back of his neck before gesturing to Ignis. “It’s… kind of cool to not be the one… _you know_.”

“Out at sea without a raft, so to speak?”

Prompto grins a bit wider at him. “I don’t think that’s how that one goes - but yeah. It’s kind of nice to see you not being good at something.”

“It’s good to know that I don’t disappoint, at the very least,” huffs Ignis.

A laugh actually does leave Prompto this time. “Nah it’s… refreshing. Normal, even. It’s not you being... _perfect_.”

“Oh please,” Ignis replies simply, raising an eyebrow and clearly amused. “I’m _hardly_ perfect. I’m merely good at pacing myself.”

Squeezing Ignis’s hand gently, Prompto’s smile takes a lopsided tilt. “Yeah, I know.” He pulls Ignis along as if he was born to do it - and if Ignis’s deathgrip on his hand bothers him, Prompto doesn't comment on it. “Like how you hate leaving dishes in the sink, and that you don’t like the toilet paper turned away from you and will, without fail, turn it around.”

That manages to pulls a smile out of Ignis, though he does narrow his eyes a touch in suspicion. “I had a feeling you were doing that on purpose,” he says. “I don’t know why anyone would have the toilet paper turned _away_ from you.”

“What can I say? I grew up in a house of heathens, and I don't know how to tell you that some things just _can't be changed_ \- no matter how much good food you feed me,” Prompto says with a dramatic shake of his head. “I guess my secret is out!”

Ignis makes a show of rolling his eyes. “Whatever will I do? I married a _heathen_.”

“Did you say let go?”

“Don’t you _dare!"_  Holding onto Prompto’s hand just the slightest bit tighter, Ignis finds himself wobbling dangerously as his skates move beneath him.

Prompto let out another laugh at that, “Okay, I won’t - I won’t! Just don’t lean ba-”

The pair let out matching yelps of surprise at Ignis’s skates suddenly slip out from underneath him, landing him flat on his back and Prompto flat on his face. Ignis takes a moment to stare at the ceiling, if only for a moment, and question his life choices - he could have said no to ice skating and saved himself a bruised tailbone. “My apologies,” he says to the ceiling after a second or two, before turning his head towards Prompto - who is leaning on his forearms and laughing himself silly.

“No prob,” comes the breathless reply from Prompto, pushing himself up to a sitting position. “Congrats - you lived! No more fear of falling.”

Ignis stays on his back for another moment before slowly sitting up himself, watching the blonde beside him begin laughing again. “I’m glad you’re having a good time,” he says simply, staring down the ice like it owes him an explanation.

Prompto grins at him. “One of us has to.”

“Contrary to popular belief, I hardly _feared_ falling.”

“Sure, Iggy, _sure_. Here - bend your head down - you’ve got some ice in your hair.” Prompto reaches out to him, shoulders still shaking in an attempt to control the laughter that is no doubt bubbling up inside of his chest. “Let me get it off.”

“Perhaps we should get off of the ice and have a sit down,” Ignis replies after Prompto’s hand brushes over the crown of his head. The glances they’re getting from a few of the other skaters remind him that they’re, in all technicality, in the middle of moving traffic.

Prompto stares at him for a moment, before glancing around. His expression morphs into something akin to sheepishness as he moves to get to his feet. “You want to take a knee, and then use the stopper on your other skate to stay still,” he explains as Ignis watches him slowly slide up to his feet. “And then you straighten your other leg.”

Ignis makes a decent attempt at standing, his legs wobbling under him. He takes Prompto’s hand as the blond helps him up to his feet. “Yes, thank you. I suppose my memory on this… might be a tad selective.”

“Can’t be good at everything - life wouldn’t be any fun that way.” Prompto gives Ignis’s hand a light tug, gently pulling the bespeckled man to one of the openings in the rink. “It’s kind of like rollerskating - have you ever gone rollerskating?”

Ignis hums lightly and smiles despite himself. “No, I have not,” he says as he steps off of the rink - feeling more relieved than ever that his feet don’t slide away from him.

Prompto gives a laugh that sounds somewhere between an apology and a wince. “Well -  I guess that metaphor won’t work - but they’re both more about… _pushing_ your weight - and I guess… staying balanced while you push yourself?”

It makes no sense to Ignis whatsoever as he replies, “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Prompto pulls Ignis along to a bench, plopping down and patting the space beside him. “Eh - I’ll think of something,” Prompto grins as Ignis sits.

“I’m sure you will,” Ignis replies simply, crossing his legs.

Gesturing for him to come closer, Prompto reaches up towards Ignis’s shoulder. “Are you at least having a good time?” he asks after a second.

“I always do,” Ignis says and merely leans towards Prompto as the blond brushes the melting flakes of ice from his person. They sit like that for a little while, before Ignis asks, “I’m guessing you were taught how to skate some time ago?”

Prompto hums, his hand brushing over Ignis’s shoulder thoughtfully. “I used to go skating with my mom and dad - I guess it was a family activity? They’d get a few days when their off days synced up, and we’d go skating - we’d get ice cream after, too. I actually wanted to try figure skating when I was little - if you can believe it.”

Ignis cocks his head to the side, sending Prompto a curious look - not quite sure if he’s being serious or not. “Really?” he muses. “Why didn’t you?”

“Me? All gangly limbs and zero balance?” Prompto shoots back, smile going lopsided. “Nah - but really - just didn’t have the time, you know? It was something like… Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays - all starting at five a.m. - which is pretty out of the way for two people working a lot of double shifts.”

“Perhaps,” Ignis hums before he can stop himself. “Perhaps they took you skating to make up for it.”

“Probably? And then, you know… _stuff happened_ \- life happened - and we couldn’t go as often,” Prompto sighs, shrugging his shoulders and moving to lean back on his hands.

“You skate fairly well, for not having done so since you were a child.”

“ _Well_ …” Prompto leans sideways towards Ignis with a smile that is equal parts sheepish and cheeky - and it does strange things to Ignis’s heart. “I _might’ve_ started coming here with Noctis and Luna. Iris and Gladio come along too, sometimes. _Occasionally_ , we can bribe Ravus into it, too - if we promise to leave him alone for a couple days.”

Ignis blinks, before narrowing his eyes in thought. “This is the first I’ve heard of it.”

“And I _may have_ been getting in some practice before asking you out, and begged them not to tell you - for science,” Prompto says as his smile widens. “Also, you didn’t hear it from me - but Iris is the best skater in our group and don’t let Noct tell you she’s not. Ravus, too - too bad he complains the entire time, though.”

Ignis smiles before he can stop himself, a hand going up to adjust his glasses. “The science of what, exactly?”

“The science of…” Prompto laughs, his shoulders shaking before he gives a half-shrug. “Beating gravity? Proving a point? Impressing my husband?”

“So a study in the science of courtship? Hardly necessary because you seem to already have a degree,” Ignis grins in reply, only to pause as the words leave his mouth. His mouth moves for a moment, before he’s suddenly at a loss and absolutely horrified.

 _Oh._ Oh, he hadn't meant to say that - at least not _outloud_.

Prompto looks just as surprised as Ignis - only his recovery has him dissolving into a fit of laughter that makes Ignis’s face grow warm despite the chill of the ice rink. _"Wow_ , Iggy,” he manages to get out, “that was _bad!"_

“Yes, well…” Ignis turns his head away, if only to save a bit of face, as he clears his throat. “It merely… slipped out.”

“It’s _cool_ ,” Prompto replies, grinning from ear to ear as Ignis looks back at him. “No reason to get _cold feet_.”

“I hope I didn’t cause the conversation to freeze.”

“You can’t be serious - I can’t do this,” came a voice from behind the pair - both young man jumping in surprise before they turn to see a very disgruntled Noctis standing over them.

“Noct?” Prompto blinks up at him before frowning. “What are you still doing here?”

“Watching a _trainwreck_.”

“Wow, _rude -_ but really, what’re you doing here, bro?”

Noctis stuffs his hands into his pockets and points a look somewhere off to his left. “We’ve been here for the _past hour_ because Luna and Gladio have been too busy making bets.”

Ignis’s eyes narrow. “Bets on _what_ , exactly?”

Noctis fixes Ignis a pointed look; his eyebrow raises and his hand moves to his hip - eyes poised to roll as if the world owes him a favor. “Really, Specs?”

“I see,” Ignis states quickly, a hand going up to push his glasses up. The gesture does wonders for hiding his quickly warming face.

Prompto, on the other hand, reaches out to tap Noctis’s arm with his knuckles. “Dude, you’re blowing your cover then!”’

“I’ve never been good at the whole _sneaking around_ thing, anyway,” Noctis replies with a shrug, looking back towards his left again.

Prompto and Ignis follow his line of sight, managing to catch the sight of Gladio and Luna giving small waves at them from across the rink. Ravus sits next to them, looking offended to at even being there. “How long were they gonna hide?” Prompto asks after Luna and Gladio turn back to one another - seemingly bickering amongst themselves and coaxing a scowl out of Ravus.

“Who knows - I think they were waiting for one of you to _do_ something.”

Prompto wheezes and Ignis frowns. “What?” Prompto asks at the same time Ignis says, “excuse me?”

“Noct! You can’t just _say that!"_  comes the voice of Iris, the girl leaning on the wall of the ice rink and frowning unhappily at Noctis. “You messed it up!”

“If they were going to do anything, they would have done it already,” Noctis drawls, shoulders slouching. “And _it's_ weird - they deserved a warning.”

“That’s not the point! We’re supposed to be here for emotional support!”

“By hiding and making bets?” Noctis sends her a skeptical look.

“Okay, yeah - it's dumb when you put it _that_ way - but you try and tell _them_ that,” Iris retorts.

“Why do you think I'm over here?”

Ignis hums thoughtfully. “I suppose the… warning is appreciated.”

“Kill me,” Prompto mutters at the same time, his face in his hands.

Noctis and Iris share a look before they both turn towards Prompto, leaving Ignis with the vague impression that they’re all having a conversation without him - especially when Prompto sends the pair a narrowed look of his own. The impression grows into a full-on understanding as Luna, Gladio, and Ravus make their way over - Luna and Gladio having the decency to look at least somewhat guilty whilst Ravus shakes his head in an obvious exasperation.

Ignis, upon looking from one person to another, finally turns his gaze back to Prompto - who seems to be trying his best to become one with the bench. When Prompto meets his gaze, Ignis can only assume that the smile Prompto sends his way is apologetic in nature. “Well?” Ignis asks.

Prompto’s smile goes lopsided as he gives a poor attempt at a shrug. “I’ll, uh… tell you later?” He then sends Noctis a pointed look.

Ignis opens his mouth to reply, but the sound of Noctis sighing loudly takes his attention. The black haired young man makes a show of slouching his posture and tilting his head to the side as he says, “this is boring - let’s get some ice cream.”

“Yeah! Gladdy’s treat,” Iris adds as she steps off of the ice and plops down beside Prompto to start taking off her skates.

“What? Why’s it my treat?” Gladio frowns, arms crossing.

Luna nudges the young man with her elbow. “I’ll pay as well - considering it’s my fault as well.” She sends Prompto an apologetic smile.

“This is embarrassing,” Ravus comments with yet another shake of his head. “Can I go?”

“It’s not that bad,” Luna tuts at him.

“You’re right,” Ravus says, expression a deadpan. “It’s worse.”

Ignis merely sighs through his nose as he moves to untie his own skates, only glancing up briefly as Ravus is elbowed in the side by his sister. “Only you would want ice cream in the dead of winter,” Ignis comments, half turning towards Noctis.

“There’s no such thing as a _wrong time_ for ice cream, Specs,” Noctis replies, as if it’s an obvious answer.

“That’s totally a lie - you’re gonna be frozen inside and out,” Prompto chimes in, pulling his laces free.

“It’ll be worth it.”

Ignis grins despite himself, gently pulling his feet free from his skates to - _wait._ The young man frowns before he looks to Noctis - or rather, down at Noctis’s feet. No skates. A sweep of the others show a similar result, with Iris being the only exception. His eyes move back towards Gladio, his eyebrow raised and his mouth in an even deeper frown. “This wouldn’t have anything to do with this morning, would it?” he asks the taller man.

Gladio meets Ignis’s eye with an expression that Ignis can only describe as _mischievous_.

The traitor.

It isn’t until Iris, Prompto, and Ignis have their shoes on and their skates returned, that Ignis turns to Prompto and says, “you seem to be at the center of this fiasco.”

Prompto smiles at him. “Something like that.”

“Care to let me in on the secret?” Ignis replies, head tilted towards him as the others walk a few feet ahead of them. “I couldn’t help but notice none of them were actually there for skating - aside from Iris.”

“Nothing gets past you,” Prompto chuckles, one of his hands rubbing at the back of his neck. He takes Ignis’s arm as Ignis offers his elbow. “I may have… let something slip out when I was out with Luna and Noct. They… probably meant well.”

Ignis raises an eyebrow in a curious expression, slowing in his steps. “Such as?” he prompts. “...this wouldn’t have something to do with the _doing something_ comment, would it?”

He watches as Prompto’s cheeks go a brilliant shade of pink. “Maybe a little bit?”

When Prompto stops walking, so does Ignis. “I suppose it was a…” Ignis trails for a moment, “tad bit tasteless as far as jokes go. Don't feel pressured to do anything on my account.”

Prompto takes a sharp breath - and, for just a second, Ignis feels like he might have stopped whatever Prompto might have wanted to say. “Iggy,” the blond says instead, his hand tightening around Ignis’s arm. “...Ignis.”

After a moment of silence, Ignis shifts his weight to one side in an attempt to look at Prompto’s face - though the effort is fruitless as Prompto is looking everywhere _besides_ him.

He barely has a chance to open his mouth to speak - or to even asked what the the matter might be - when Prompto seems to win his internal debate and hurriedly says, “what if we, _you know_ , tried actually being a thing?”

Ignis can only stare. “A thing,” he repeats.

“You know - _a thing_ , thing.” Prompto fidgets beside him, nearly pulling away as he babbles out a, “actually - forget I said anything! It was a dumb idea - I mean - you… we’re not really - well I mean we _are_ \- married, I mean-”

“Prompto,” Ignis says.

“But I guess that’s only on paper? But we’ve also been living together for _years_ , and I mean… I mean it really wouldn’t be too different to how we are now, I guess? Or would that make it lowkey - high key? - awkward?”

“I think we should try it.”

“So, what I mean - what I’m trying to say here - I want to actually, you know, _date_ you and-” Prompto continues, only to suddenly cut himself off, head whipping around to look up at the man beside him. “Wha-?”

Ignis feels his mouth curl up into a smile. “I do believe,” he says slowly, his voice fond, “that it’s a good idea, and we should try it.”

“Oh,” Prompto replies, pink to his ears.

Ignis moves to continue walking, urging Prompto on with him. “Unless you _didn’t_ want to?”

“No!” Prompto perks up, falling into step beside him. “No - I do - I just - didn't think you'd… you know.”

“I was actually trying to find a way to tell you, myself,” Ignis admits, and Prompto takes in a breath like a prolonged gasp. “But you seem to have beaten me to the punch.”

“Whoa - really? I mean… _whoa_.”

“Whoa, indeed,” replies Ignis.

Prompto peeks up at him, his smile threatening to show teeth. “Wait, so that talk with Gladio..?”

“I suspect it was not unlike the one you had with Noct and Lunafreya.”

“That's _embarrassing_ ,” Prompto says, ducking his head with an exhale that sounds suspiciously like a laugh, _“_ and maybe just the _tiniest_ bit sad.”

“A bit.” Feeling his own smile go lopsided, Ignis comments, “I do believe, that if this all works out… hm… what do you think about having an actual wedding?”

Prompto nearly trips. “A _what?"_

“A wedding.” Ignis doesn't miss a beat. “Is that a problem?”

“No - I - you? Like a - like an _actual wedding?"_  Prompto asks, tone somewhat mystified.

“Of course,” Ignis replies a matter of factly. “A wedding where the partners actually love each other is far more fruitful than one where they don’t - unless it’s for tax benefits, but that’s something different altogether.” Ignis feels his own face grow warm at the thought of an actual wedding - nothing like merely signing papers… the image of Prompto in a suit isn’t a bad one either.

“I mean… if you want to,” Prompto replies after clearing his throat - though is seemingly unable to stop his smile from spreading from one ear to the other. “We’ll have to see what happens, huh?”

Ignis’s smile mirrors the blond’s. “I suppose we will.” And the pair smiles and smiles.

They continue to do so until Noctis - who looks back at them, along with the rest of the group - lets out a loud, “ _finally!_ ” He even throws his arms into the air for good measure. “I’ve been hearing about this for _months_.”

“ _Noct!”_ Prompto practically yells at the other, though laughs despite himself. “Not cool!”

“About time,” Gladio adds, after taking in Prompto and Ignis’s matching expressions. “Took you long enough!”

“You’re both _terrible_ ,” Ignis replies, unable to stop his amusement from leaking into his voice as he does so. He glances towards Prompto. “About time indeed - _cheeks_ , the both of them.”

The statements are followed by the laughter of the rest of the group as Ignis and Prompto share equally fond - and perhaps somewhat embarrassed - expressions, before following after the others, walking arm in arm.

**Author's Note:**

> Cattywampus, also spelled catawampus, is an adjective often used to describe something that is off-kilter, askew, and/or diagonal.
> 
> It's also my goal in life to write Ignis being as graceless as possible.


End file.
